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Monday, 18 April 2016

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji - one of the famous street food of Maharashtra specially of Mumbai. Anyone going to Mumbai makes it a point to taste it atleast once in their trip like I do :-).

Pav meaning Bun / Bread and Bhaji meaning a mixture of vegetable curry. This dish was introduced by the textile mill workers of Mumbai for their lunch time which could be prepared soon. As the dish became famous, today Pav Bhaji is one of the main dish in any Menu from small street stall hotels to restaurants. This dish is become so famous and it is liked by all age group from old aged people to middle age and also the young kids love it. I am a big Pav Bhaji person and can have it anytime when given and also enjoy making it.

Lets start the dish with its ingredients...

Ingredients:

For the Bhaji:

Potatoes 3

Onion 1 Finely Chopped

Tomatoes 2 Finely Chopped

Green Capsicum 1/2 chopped

Cauliflower florets 3/4th cup

Peas fresh / frozen 1/2 cup

Green Chili 1 finely chopped

Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder 1 tbsp

Pav Bhaji Masala 1 tbsp

Garam Masala 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil 1 tbsp

Butter 2 tbsp

Cumin Seeds 1 tsp

Freshly Chopped Coriander Leaves little

For Pav:

Pav {ladhi pav} as many pairs of pav needed

Butter

For Garnishing:

Freshly Chopped Coriander Leaves

Butter

For Serving:

Onion Finely chopped

Lemon Piece

Method:

Preparation...

In a pressure cooker add water and place the potatoes. In the same cooker keep a bowl, adding peas and cauliflower florets with needed water and a pinch of salt. Pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles and switch off flame. Once pressure releases, open.

Now mash the potatoes and keep it ready aside.

Also mash boiled cauliflower and peas and keep ready aside.

Cooking...

In a pan heat oil and butter. Once heated add cumin seeds. As it starts to splutter, add onion. Saute onion for a minute or two and add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell is gone.

Now add green chilies and saute for a minute.

Now add tomatoes and mix well. Cook until the raw smell is gone and the tomatoes are soft and cooked.

Once tomatoes are done, add capsicum. Cook the capsicum for around two minutes and it's time to add the dry spices- red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and pav bhaji masala.

Once the masala's are coated with capsicum and once the raw smell of the masala's are gone, add the mashed potatoes, peas and cauliflower and mix well. Add water as per the consistency and also add salt.

Now with a potato masher, mash the vegetables until soft. Few pieces are ok to be.

Now cook the bhaji for few minutes and add some water if the bhaji is thickened. Also check for salt at this stage.

Cook until bhaji is cooked.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Method to prepare the pav...

Heat tawa.

As it's heating, slit the pav in the centre, spread butter.

Add some butter on the tawa and place the pav. Once the pav is browned one side, flip to other side. If needed add some more butter.

This way do all the pav's.

For more crisper pav, fry the pav for a few minute more.

Serving Pav Bhaji...

In a plate, take a cup of Bhaji and top it up with a dollop of butter.

Nearby place a cup with finely chopped onions and lemon piece.

Place a pair of pav next to it and serve.

Enjoy this mouth tempting finger licking dish with family and friends...